Adverse Birth Outcomes in Kenya: Prevalence and Key Health-Related Predictive Factors- A Cross-Sectional Analysis of KDHS 2022 Data
Abstract
Background: Adverse birth outcomes (ABOs) including low birth weight, stillbirths, and early neonatal deaths remain a major public health concern in Kenya, contributing significantly to maternal and child morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and health-related predictors of ABOs using data from the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS). Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 17476 women aged 15–49 who had given birth in the five years preceding the survey. Adverse Birth Outcomes were defined as any occurrence of low birth weight, stillbirth, or early neonatal death. Statistical analyses included descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable binary logistic regression using SPSS version 28, accounting for sampling weights and survey design. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to identify significant predictors. Results: The prevalence of Adverse Birth Outcomes was 11.1% which was contributed by 8% of preterm babies, 2.3% Low Birth Weight and 2.0% Neonatal Births. The key health-related factors that predict Adverse Birth Outcomes included number of ANC visits {with higher odds to those who scheduled ANC visits(≥8) (AOR = 2.947; 95% CI: 1.734–5.006), compared to women who had less than three visits}, timing of the first ANC visits {delaying the first ANC visit until after the first trimester resulted in lower odds of Adverse Birth Outcomes (ABOs) – AOR: 0.673; 95% CI: 0.412–0.729}, and parity/birth order{Multiparity exerted a protective effect among multiparous women showing decreased odds of adverse outcomes compared with primiparous women-AOR = 0.507; 95% CI: 0.461–0.559}. Conclusions: Adverse Birth Outcomes of over 10% of the population in Kenya remain a significant concern. Among the health-related factors that predict Adverse Birth Outcomes are the frequency of ANC visits (a paradoxical finding that demonstates that ANC visits frequency is significantly associated with higher ABOs), the timing of initiation of ANC visits and parity, which should be the focus of implementing targeted interventions to improve birth outcomes
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Copyright (c) 2025 Vincent Kiprono Mukthar, PhD, Lily Chepketer Ng’eno
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